Ice maker

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application relates to the technical field of ice making equipment, and particularly relates to an ice maker, which comprises a shell, an inner container, an inner water tank, an outer water tank and a water conveying mechanism; the inner container is arranged in the shell, at least part of the structure of the inner container is arranged in a spaced manner with the shell to form a heat preservation cavity; the inner water tank is arranged in the inner container; the outer water tank is arranged outside the shell; the water conveying mechanism comprises a water conveying pipeline assembly and a water pumping assembly; the water conveying pipeline assembly comprises a water conveying pipeline arranged in the heat preservation cavity; the water conveying pipeline is connected between the outer water tank and a water inlet end of the water pumping assembly; and a water outlet end of the water pumping assembly is communicated with the inner water tank. The water conveying pipeline of the above-mentioned ice maker is arranged in the heat preservation cavity for heat preservation of the inner container, so that the installation space of the water conveying pipeline can be saved, thereby being beneficial to reducing the equipment volume.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ice-making equipment technology, and in particular to an ice maker. Background Technology

[0002] A water-cooled ice maker is a common type of ice-making equipment that uses ice-making components to cool and process flowing water into ice blocks to meet users' ice-making needs. When a water-cooled ice maker is working, liquid water from an external water source is delivered into an internal water tank via a water pipe. Then, a water pump delivers the liquid water from the internal water tank to the ice-making components for ice production. Currently, the water supply pipes of ice makers are usually independently installed outside the rest of the machine and require considerable installation space. This results in a relatively large overall size for the ice maker, hindering the trend towards miniaturization. Therefore, these issues urgently need to be addressed. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides an ice maker, which includes a shell, an inner liner, an inner water tank, an outer water tank, and a water delivery mechanism. The inner liner is disposed inside the shell, and at least a portion of the inner liner is spaced apart from the shell to form a heat-insulating cavity. The inner water tank is disposed inside the inner liner. The outer water tank is disposed outside the shell. The water delivery mechanism includes a water delivery pipeline assembly and a water pumping assembly. The water delivery pipeline assembly includes a water delivery pipe disposed within the heat-insulating cavity. The water delivery pipe is connected between the outer water tank and the inlet end of the water pumping assembly. The outlet end of the water pumping assembly is connected to the inner water tank.

[0004] Optionally, in some embodiments, the water supply pipeline assembly further includes a first two-way pipe and a second two-way pipe; both the first two-way pipe and the second two-way pipe are disposed on the outer wall of the inner tank, the first two-way pipe is connected to the outer water tank and the water supply pipeline, and the second two-way pipe is connected to the water supply pipeline and the water inlet of the pumping assembly.

[0005] Optionally, in some embodiments, the first two-way pipe includes a first branch pipe and a second branch pipe connected in series; one end of the first branch pipe is integrally formed and connected to the first side wall of the inner liner, and the other end is connected to the outer water tank, and one end of the water supply pipe is connected to the second branch pipe; the second two-way pipe includes a third branch pipe and a fourth branch pipe connected in series, one end of the fourth branch pipe is integrally formed and connected to the second side wall of the inner liner, and the other end is connected to the water inlet of the water pumping assembly, and the end of the water supply pipe away from the second branch pipe is connected to the third branch pipe; when the ice maker is in working condition, the first side wall is located at the top of the inner liner, the second side wall is adjacent to the first side wall and the position height of the second side wall is lower than the position height of the first side wall.

[0006] Optionally, in some embodiments, the ice maker further includes at least one snap-fit ​​component disposed on the outer wall of the inner liner, and the water supply pipe is snap-fitted to the snap-fit ​​component.

[0007] Optionally, in some embodiments, the ice maker further includes a top cover connected to the housing, which is located on top of the housing when the ice maker is in operation; an outer water tank is disposed on the top cover and is connected to a first two-way pipe through the top cover.

[0008] Optionally, in some embodiments, the outer water tank includes a connected water tank body and a drainage assembly; the water tank body is detachably connected to the top cover, the water tank body is provided with a drain outlet, and the drainage assembly is disposed at the drain outlet; the ice maker also includes a top rod disposed on the top cover and a water passage, one end of the water passage is disposed opposite to the drain outlet, and the other end is connected to a first two-way pipe; when the outer water tank is connected to the housing, the top rod abuts against the drainage assembly to open the drain outlet, and the water in the outer water tank passes through the drain outlet, the water passage and enters the first two-way pipe in sequence; when the outer water tank is detached from the housing to separate the top rod from the drainage assembly, the drainage assembly seals the drain outlet to close the drain outlet.

[0009] Optionally, in some embodiments, the pumping assembly includes a water pump and a mounting bracket; the mounting bracket is connected to the inner tank, and the water pump is connected to the mounting bracket; the mounting bracket includes a bracket body, an inlet pipe, and an outlet pipe; both the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are connected to the bracket body, one end of the inlet pipe is connected to a second two-way pipe, and the other end is connected to the inlet end of the water pump, the outlet pipe passes through the inner tank and extends into the interior of the inner water tank, and one end of the outlet pipe located outside the inner tank is connected to the outlet end of the water pump.

[0010] Optionally, in some embodiments, the housing is provided with a relief opening communicating with the insulation cavity, and the ice maker also includes an insulation layer disposed in the insulation cavity; the bracket body passes through the relief opening, and the mounting bracket also includes a perimeter connected to the outer peripheral wall of the bracket body, the perimeter being located on the side of the housing away from the inner liner and fitting against the housing.

[0011] Optionally, in some embodiments, the ice maker further includes a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring; the first sealing ring is sleeved outside the water inlet pipe, and the water inlet pipe and the second two-way pipe together clamp the first sealing ring; the second sealing ring is sleeved outside the water outlet pipe, a sealing sleeve is provided on the inner liner, the water outlet pipe passes through the sealing sleeve, and the water outlet pipe and the sealing sleeve together clamp the second sealing ring.

[0012] Optionally, in some embodiments, the water pump is located on the side of the support body away from the inner liner, and both the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe pass through the support body.

[0013] In the ice maker provided in this application embodiment, since the water supply pipeline assembly includes a water supply pipe disposed in the insulation cavity, the water supply pipe is connected between the outer water tank and the water inlet end of the water pumping assembly, and the water outlet end of the water pumping assembly is connected to the inner water tank, when the ice maker is working, the water pumping assembly can draw liquid water from the outer water tank through the water supply pipe and send it into the inner water tank for the ice maker to make ice; since the water supply pipe is disposed in the insulation cavity used to insulate the inner tank, the installation space required for separately installing the water supply pipe can be saved, thereby helping to reduce the overall size of the ice maker and facilitating the transportation and storage of the ice maker. Attached Figure Description

[0014] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the ice maker in some embodiments of this application.

[0016] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial structural schematic of an ice maker.

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial structural schematic of an ice maker.

[0018] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structural design of the mounting bracket for the ice maker.

[0019] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial structural cross-section of the ice maker.

[0020] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Enlarged view of section A.

[0021] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial structural cross-section of the ice maker.

[0022] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Enlarged view of section B.

[0023] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial structural cross-section of the ice maker.

[0024] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 Enlarged view of section C.

[0025] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial structural schematic of an ice maker.

[0026] Labeling Explanation: 100, Ice Maker; 10, Shell; 101, Clearance Port; 11, Inner Liner; 111, First Side Wall; 112, Second Side Wall; 113, Sealing Sleeve; 12, Inner Water Tank; 13, Outer Water Tank; 131, Water Tank Body; 132, Drainage Assembly; 1321, Movable Base; 1322, Elastic Telescopic Component; 1323, Elastic Sleeve; 1324, Limiting Cylinder; 1325, Top Seat; 1326, Movable Rod; 1327, Base; 1328, Water Through Hole; 133, Drain Outlet; 14, Water Supply Mechanism; 141, Water Supply Pipeline Assembly; 142, Pumping Assembly ; 143. Water supply pipe; 144. First two-way pipe; 1441. First branch pipe; 1442. Second branch pipe; 145. Second two-way pipe; 1451. Third branch pipe; 1452. Fourth branch pipe; 146. Water pump; 147. Mounting bracket; 1471. Bracket body; 1472. Inlet pipe; 1473. Outlet pipe; 1474. Surrounding edge; 1475. First mounting ring groove; 1476. Second mounting ring groove; 15. Insulation cavity; 16. Snap-fit ​​component; 17. Top cover; 171. Top rod; 172. Water passage; 18. First sealing ring; 19. Second sealing ring. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0028] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal," etc., indicate the orientation or state relationship based on the orientation or state relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated devices, elements, or components to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0029] Furthermore, in addition to indicating location or state relationships, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in certain situations to indicate a dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0030] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are primarily used to distinguish different devices, elements, or components (the specific types and structures may be the same or different), and are not used to indicate or imply the relative importance or quantity of the indicated devices, elements, or components. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0031] Furthermore, unless otherwise explicitly specified or limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components or merely surface contact. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0032] If certain terms are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components, those skilled in the art will understand that hardware manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same component. The specification and claims do not distinguish components based on differences in name, but rather on differences in function. For example, the term "comprising" used throughout the specification and claims is an open-ended term and should be interpreted as "including but not limited to"; "generally" means that those skilled in the art can solve the technical problem and basically achieve the technical effect within a certain margin of error.

[0033] Please see Figures 1 to 4 This application provides an ice maker 100 for cooling liquid water to produce ice. The ice maker 100 includes a housing 10, an inner liner 11, an inner water tank 12, an outer water tank 13, and a water delivery mechanism 14.

[0034] As a specific example, in this embodiment, the shell 10 is generally rectangular. In other embodiments, the shell 10 can also be generally cubic, cylindrical, or any other shape, without limitation. An inner liner 11 is disposed inside the shell 10, and at least a portion of the structure of the inner liner 11 is spaced apart from the shell 10 to form a heat-insulating cavity 15. The heat-insulating cavity 15 is used to reduce the efficiency of heat exchange between the interior of the inner liner 11 and the outside, thereby achieving a cold-insulating and heat-preserving effect. An inner water tank 12 is disposed inside the inner liner 11. An outer water tank 13 is disposed outside the shell 10. As a specific example, in this embodiment, the outer water tank 13 is generally rectangular. In other embodiments, the outer water tank 13 can also be generally cubic, cylindrical, or any other shape, without limitation. The outer water tank 13 is used to hold liquid water for the ice maker 100 to make ice. The water supply mechanism 14 includes a water supply pipeline assembly 141 and a water pumping assembly 142. The water supply pipeline assembly 141 includes a water supply pipe 143 disposed within the insulation cavity 15. It should be noted that the water supply pipe 143 may be completely contained within the insulation cavity 15, or at least partially contained within it. The water supply pipe 143 connects the outer water tank 13 to the inlet end of the pumping assembly 142, and the outlet end of the pumping assembly 142 communicates with the inner water tank 12. The pumping assembly 142, in conjunction with the water supply pipeline assembly 141, can deliver liquid water from the outer water tank 13 into the inner water tank 12 for ice making by the ice maker 100.

[0035] With the above configuration, since the water supply pipeline assembly 141 of the ice maker 100 includes a water supply pipe 143 disposed within the insulation cavity 15, and the water supply pipe 143 connects the outer water tank 13 to the inlet end of the water pumping assembly 142, and the outlet end of the water pumping assembly 142 is connected to the inner water tank 12, when the ice maker 100 is working, the water pumping assembly 142 can draw liquid water from the outer water tank 13 through the water supply pipe 143 and send it into the inner water tank 12 for the ice maker 100 to make ice. Because the water supply pipe 143 is disposed within the insulation cavity 15 used to insulate the inner liner 11, the installation space required for separately installing the water supply pipe 143 can be saved, thereby reducing the overall size of the ice maker 100 and facilitating its transportation and storage.

[0036] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the water supply pipeline assembly 141 further includes a first two-way pipe 144 and a second two-way pipe 145. Both the first two-way pipe 144 and the second two-way pipe 145 are disposed on the outer wall of the inner tank 11. The first two-way pipe 144 is connected to the outer water tank 13 and the water supply pipe 143, while the second two-way pipe 145 is connected to the water supply pipe 143 and the inlet end of the pumping assembly 142. With this arrangement, water in the outer water tank 13 can sequentially pass through the first two-way pipe 144, the water supply pipe 143, and the second two-way pipe 145 before entering the pumping assembly 142 and being pumped into the inner water tank 12. Since both the first two-way pipe 144 and the second two-way pipe 145 are disposed on the outer wall of the inner tank 11, the water supply pipe 143 can extend along the outer wall of the inner tank 11, thereby reducing the space occupied by the water supply pipe 143 and thus reducing the size of the ice maker 100.

[0037] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the first two-way pipe 144 includes a first branch pipe 1441 and a second branch pipe 1442 connected together. One end of the first branch pipe 1441 is integrally formed and connected to the first side wall 111 of the inner liner 11, and the other end is connected to the outer water tank 13. One end of the water supply pipe 143 is connected to the second branch pipe 1442. The second two-way pipe 145 includes a third branch pipe 1451 and a fourth branch pipe 1452 connected together. One end of the fourth branch pipe 1452 is integrally formed and connected to the second side wall 112 of the inner liner 11, and the other end is connected to the water inlet of the pumping assembly 142. The end of the water supply pipe 143 away from the second branch pipe 1442 is connected to the third branch pipe 1451. When the ice maker 100 is in operation, the first side wall 111 is located at the top of the inner liner 11, the second side wall 112 is adjacent to the first side wall 111 and its height is lower than that of the first side wall 111; the first branch pipe 1441 and the third branch pipe 1451 are set approximately vertically, and the second branch pipe 1442 and the fourth branch pipe 1452 are set approximately horizontally. It should be noted that "ice maker 100 in operation" refers to the position of the ice maker 100 in normal use. In this state, the ice maker 100 is placed approximately vertically on a work surface (such as a tabletop, cabinet surface, or floor). The position of the ice maker 100 at this time is approximately as follows: Figure 3 As shown.

[0038] With the above configuration, since the two ends of the water supply pipe 143 are connected to the first two-way pipe 144 and the second two-way pipe 145 respectively, the first two-way pipe 144 and the second two-way pipe 145 can change the direction of water flow, thus reducing the occurrence of bends in the water supply pipe 143, thereby reducing the obstruction of water flow inside the water supply pipe 143 due to bends. In other words, the above configuration can improve the water supply efficiency and stability of the outer water tank 13 to the inner water tank 12.

[0039] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the ice maker 100 further includes at least one snap-fit ​​member 16, which is disposed on the outer wall of the inner liner 11, and the water supply pipe 143 is snap-fitted to the snap-fit ​​member 16. The snap-fit ​​member 16 can specifically be a buckle, a claw, or a groove, etc., and is not limited thereto. The snap-fit ​​member 16 can position the water supply pipe 143 to prevent displacement of the water supply pipe 143 under the impact of internal water flow.

[0040] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the pumping assembly 142 includes a water pump 146 and a mounting bracket 147. The mounting bracket 147 is connected to the inner tank 11, and the water pump 146 is connected to the mounting bracket 147. The mounting bracket 147 and the inner tank 11 can be connected and fixed by fasteners such as bolts and screws, and the water pump 146 and the mounting bracket 147 can also be connected and fixed by fasteners such as bolts and screws; there is no limitation in this regard. The mounting bracket 147 includes a bracket body 1471, an inlet pipe 1472, and an outlet pipe 1473. The bracket body 1471 is the main structure of the mounting bracket 147, and it can be in any shape, such as plate-shaped or block-shaped; there is no limitation in this regard. The inlet pipe 1472 and the outlet pipe 1473 are both connected to the bracket body 1471. One end of the inlet pipe 1472 is connected to the second two-way pipe 145 (specifically, connected to the fourth branch pipe 1452), and the other end is connected to the inlet end of the water pump 146. The water outlet pipe 1473 passes through the inner tank 11 and extends into the interior of the inner water tank 12. One end of the water outlet pipe 1473 located outside the inner tank 11 is connected to the water outlet end of the water pump 146.

[0041] With the above setup, when assembling the ice maker 100, the operator can first assemble the water pump 146 with the mounting bracket 147, so that the inlet and outlet ends of the water pump 146 are connected to the inlet pipe 1472 and the outlet pipe 1473 respectively. Then, the mounting bracket 147 is connected to the inner tank 11, so that the inlet pipe 1472 is connected to the second two-way pipe 145 and the outlet pipe 1473 is connected to the inner water tank 12. The operation is simple and convenient. When the ice maker 100 is working, the liquid water in the outer water tank 13 passes through the first two-way pipe 144, the water supply pipe 143, the second two-way pipe 145, the inlet pipe 1472, the water pump 146, and the outlet pipe 1473 in sequence under the action of the water pump 146, and finally enters the inner water tank 12.

[0042] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 8In some embodiments, the portion of the inlet pipe 1472 on the side of the bracket body 1471 facing the inner liner 11 is arranged parallel to the portion of the outlet pipe 1473 on the side of the bracket body 1471 facing the inner liner 11, and the portion of the inlet pipe 1472 on the side of the bracket body 1471 facing the inner liner 11 is arranged perpendicular to the second sidewall 112 of the inner liner 11. With this arrangement, when the operator connects the mounting bracket 147, which is connected to the water pump 146, to the inner liner 11, the operator can push the mounting bracket 147 in a direction perpendicular to the second sidewall 112 of the inner liner 11. This allows the inlet pipe 1472 to connect to the second two-way pipe 145 while the outlet pipe 1473 connects to the inner water tank 12. This simplifies the installation steps of the mounting bracket 147, improves installation efficiency, and facilitates the connection between the mounting bracket 147 and the inner liner 11.

[0043] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the housing 10 is provided with a clearance opening 101 communicating with the insulation cavity 15. The clearance opening 101 is spaced apart from the second side wall 112 of the inner liner 11. The ice maker 100 also includes an insulation layer (not shown in the figure) disposed in the insulation cavity 15. As a specific example, in this embodiment, the insulation layer is a foam insulation layer. In other embodiments, the insulation layer can also be a material layer with insulation effect, such as insulation sponge or insulation silicone. The bracket body 1471 passes through the clearance opening 101. The mounting bracket 147 also includes a perimeter 1474 connected to the outer peripheral wall of the bracket body 1471. The perimeter 1474 is located on the side of the housing 10 away from the inner liner 11 and fits against the housing 10.

[0044] With the above setup, when assembling the ice maker 100, the operator first connects both ends of the water supply pipe 143 to the first two-way pipe 144 and the second two-way pipe 145 respectively. Then, the inner liner 11 is installed inside the shell 10. At this time, the second side wall 112 of the inner liner 11 is spaced apart from the relief opening 101. Then, the mounting bracket 147, which houses the water pump 146, is connected to the inner liner 11 at the relief opening 101. After the mounting bracket 147 is connected to the inner liner 11, the edge 1474 is located on the side of the shell 10 away from the inner liner 11 and fits snugly against the shell 10. Finally, foaming liquid is injected into the insulation cavity 15 to form a foamed insulation layer. The entire operation process described above is simple, convenient, quick, and efficient. Because of the surrounding edge 1474, the surrounding edge 1474 can not only limit the distance of the mounting bracket 147 through the relief opening 101 to avoid the mounting bracket 147 getting too close to the inner liner 11 and affecting the connection between the two, but also the narrow gap formed by the surrounding edge 1474 and the shell 10 can prevent the foaming liquid in the insulation cavity 15 from overflowing, which is safe and reliable.

[0045] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the water pump 146 is located on the side of the bracket body 1471 away from the inner liner 11, and both the inlet pipe 1472 and the outlet pipe 1473 pass through the bracket body 1471. With this arrangement, after the mounting bracket 147 is connected to the inner liner 11, the water pump 146 is located on the side of the mounting bracket 147 away from the inner liner 11, that is, the water pump 146 is located outside the inner liner 11. This not only ensures safety, hygiene, and convenient installation, but also facilitates user repair or replacement of the water pump 146 in case of malfunction.

[0046] Please see Figures 5 to 8 In some embodiments, the ice maker 100 further includes a first sealing ring 18 and a second sealing ring 19. Both the first sealing ring 18 and the second sealing ring 19 are annular structures made of soft, elastic materials such as rubber or silicone. The first sealing ring 18 is fitted over the water inlet pipe 1472, and the water inlet pipe 1472 and the second two-way pipe 145 (specifically, the fourth branch pipe 1452) together clamp the first sealing ring 18. The second sealing ring 19 is fitted over the water outlet pipe 1473, and a sealing sleeve 113 is provided on the inner liner 11. The sealing sleeve 113 is generally cylindrical. The water outlet pipe 1473 passes through the sealing sleeve 113, and the water outlet pipe 1473 and the sealing sleeve 113 together clamp the second sealing ring 19.

[0047] With the above configuration, the inlet pipe 1472 and the second two-way pipe 145 together clamp the first sealing ring 18 to form a sealed and waterproof structure, thereby preventing liquid water in the second two-way pipe 145 from flowing out through the gap between the fourth branch pipe 1452 and the inlet pipe 1472 when it flows to the inlet pipe 1472. The sealing sleeve 113 and the outlet pipe 1473 together clamp the second sealing ring 19 to form a sealed and waterproof structure, thereby preventing liquid water in the inner water tank 12 from flowing out through the gap between the sealing sleeve 113 and the outlet pipe 1473.

[0048] Please see Figure 6 In some embodiments, the outer peripheral wall of the water inlet pipe 1472 is provided with an annular first mounting groove 1475, and the first sealing ring 18 is embedded in the first mounting groove 1475. The first sealing ring 18 is clamped and fixed by the inner side wall of the second two-way pipe 145 and the inner wall of the first mounting groove 1475. Through the above arrangement, the first mounting groove 1475 provides installation space for the first sealing ring 18, which is conducive to the outer wall of the water inlet pipe 1472 getting closer to the inner wall of the second two-way pipe 145, and thus facilitates the first sealing ring 18 to be further clamped by the water inlet pipe 1472 and the second two-way pipe 145, so as to ensure the formation of a stable and reliable sealing and waterproof structure.

[0049] Please see Figure 8In some embodiments, the outer peripheral wall of the water outlet pipe 1473 is provided with an annular second mounting groove 1476, and the second sealing ring 19 is embedded in the second mounting groove 1476. The second sealing ring 19 is clamped and fixed by the inner side wall of the sealing sleeve 113 and the inner wall of the second mounting groove 1476. Through the above arrangement, the second mounting groove 1476 provides installation space for the second sealing ring 19, which is conducive to the outer wall of the water outlet pipe 1473 getting closer to the inner wall of the sealing sleeve 113, and thus facilitates the second sealing ring 19 to be further clamped by the water outlet pipe 1473 and the sealing sleeve 113, so as to ensure the formation of a stable and reliable sealing and waterproof structure.

[0050] Please see Figure 9 , Figure 10 and Figure 11 In some embodiments, the ice maker 100 also includes a top cover 17 connected to the housing 10. When the ice maker 100 is in operation, the top cover 17 is located on top of the housing 10 and covers the top of the housing 10. An outer water tank 13 is disposed on the top cover 17 and is connected to the first two-way pipe 144 through the top cover 17. With the above arrangement, since the outer water tank 13 is located above the top cover 17 on the top of the housing 10, when the outer water tank 13 delivers liquid water to the inner water tank 12, in addition to being powered by the water pump 146, the liquid water can also be delivered by gravity, which can improve the delivery efficiency of the liquid water. Furthermore, the housing 10 can provide stable support for the outer water tank 13 located at the top, which is beneficial to improving the installation stability of the outer water tank 13.

[0051] In some embodiments, the outer water tank 13 includes a connected tank body 131 and a drain assembly 132. The tank body 131 is the main structure of the outer water tank 13 and is detachably connected to the top cover 17. The tank body 131 is provided with a drain outlet 133, which is located on the bottom wall of the tank body 131. The drain assembly 132 is disposed at the drain outlet 133 and is used to selectively open or close the drain outlet 133. The ice maker 100 also includes a top rod 171 and a water passage 172 disposed on the top cover 17. The top rod 171 is a rod-shaped structure that is generally vertically arranged when the ice maker 100 is in operation. The water passage 172 is a channel disposed on the top cover 17, with one end of the water passage 172 opposite to the drain outlet 133 and the other end connected to the first two-way pipe 144. With the outer water tank 13 connected to the housing 10, the push rod 171 abuts against the drain assembly 132 to open the drain outlet 133. Water in the outer water tank 13 passes through the drain outlet 133 and the water passage 172 in sequence and enters the first two-way pipe 144. When the outer water tank 13 is removed from the housing 10 to separate the push rod 171 from the drain assembly 132, the drain assembly 132 blocks the drain outlet 133 to close it.

[0052] With the above configuration, due to the presence of the drainage component 132, when the outer water tank 13 is connected to the top cover 17, the push rod 171 abuts against the drainage component 132 to open the drain outlet 133. At this time, the outer water tank 13 can fill water into the first two-way pipe 144, thereby enabling water to be supplied to the inner water tank 12. When the outer water tank 13 is removed from the top cover 17 to separate the push rod 171 from the drainage component 132, the drainage component 132 can automatically close the drain outlet 133, thereby preventing accidental leakage of the outer water tank 13, ensuring safety and reliability.

[0053] Please see Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, the drainage assembly 132 includes a movable seat 1321, an elastic telescopic member 1322, and an elastic sleeve 1323. The movable seat 1321 is movably inserted into the drain outlet 133. One end of the elastic telescopic member 1322 abuts against the outer bottom wall of the water tank body 131, and the other end abuts against the movable seat 1321. The elastic telescopic member 1322 can be a spring, a sheet, or other structure. The elastic sleeve 1323 is fitted onto the end of the movable seat 1321 that extends into the water tank body 131, and the elastic sleeve 1323 can be made of a soft, elastic material such as rubber or silicone. When the outer water tank 13 is connected to the top cover 17, the push rod 171 abuts against the bottom end of the movable seat 1321 to separate the elastic sleeve 1323 from the drain outlet 133, thereby opening the drain outlet 133. When the outer water tank 13 is removed from the top cover 17 to separate the top rod 171 from the movable seat 1321, the elastic telescopic member 1322 pushes the movable seat 1321 downward to make the elastic sleeve 1323 lock in the drain outlet 133, thereby closing the drain outlet 133.

[0054] With the above configuration, when the outer water tank 13 is connected to the top cover 17, the push rod 171 abuts against the movable seat 1321, causing the movable seat 1321 to move upward and compress the elastic telescopic member 1322. At this time, the elastic sleeve 1323 separates from the drain outlet 133, allowing the drain outlet 133 to open and the outer water tank 13 to drain water. When the outer water tank 13 is removed from the top cover 17 to separate the push rod 171 from the movable seat 1321, the elastic telescopic member 1322 automatically extends and pushes the movable seat 1321 downward, thereby causing the elastic sleeve 1323 to engage with the drain outlet 133 to block and close the drain outlet 133.

[0055] Please see Figure 9 and Figure 10In some embodiments, the drainage assembly 132 further includes a limiting cylinder 1324, which is generally cylindrical. The limiting cylinder 1324 is connected to the outer bottom wall of the water tank body 131 and surrounds the outer periphery of the drain outlet 133. The movable seat 1321 and the elastic telescopic member 1322 are both housed within the limiting cylinder 1324. The movable seat 1321 includes a movable rod 1326, a top seat 1325, and a base 1327. The movable rod 1326 is generally vertically arranged and passes through the drain outlet 133. The top seat 1325 is connected to the top end of the movable rod 1326 and is generally disc-shaped. The top seat 1325 is located inside the water tank body 131, and the elastic sleeve 1323 is fitted onto the top seat 1325. The base 1327 is connected to the bottom end of the moving rod 1326 and is approximately disc-shaped. The base 1327 is located outside the water tank body 131 and housed within the limiting cylinder 1324. The outer wall of the base 1327 is in contact with the inner wall of the limiting cylinder 1324. The base 1327 has a water passage hole 1328, which is opposite to the opening of the water passage channel 172. An elastic telescopic member 1322 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the moving rod 1326, with the end of the elastic telescopic member 1322 away from the water tank body 131 abutting against the base 1327.

[0056] With the above configuration, when the outer water tank 13 is connected to the top cover 17, the top rod 171 abuts against the base 1327, causing the movable seat 1321 to move upward and compress the elastic telescopic member 1322. At this time, the top seat 1325 drives the elastic sleeve 1323 to move upward, causing the elastic sleeve 1323 to separate from the drain outlet 133. The water in the outer water tank 13 can then pass through the drain outlet 133, the water passage hole 1328, and the water passage 172 in sequence and enter the first two-way pipe 144. When the outer water tank 13 is removed from the top cover 17 to separate the top rod 171 from the base 1327, the elastic telescopic member 1322 automatically extends and pushes the movable seat 1321 downward. At this time, the top seat 1325 drives the elastic sleeve 1323 downward and locks it into the drain outlet 133 to block and close the drain outlet 133.

[0057] In summary, the embodiments of this application provide an ice maker 100. Since the water supply pipeline assembly 141 of the ice maker 100 includes a water supply pipe 143 disposed within the insulation cavity 15, and the water supply pipe 143 connects the outer water tank 13 to the inlet end of the water pumping assembly 142, and the outlet end of the water pumping assembly 142 communicates with the inner water tank 12, when the ice maker 100 is operating, the water pumping assembly 142 can draw liquid water from the outer water tank 13 through the water supply pipe 143 and send it into the inner water tank 12 for ice making by the ice maker 100. Because the water supply pipe 143 is disposed within the insulation cavity 15 used to insulate the inner liner 11, the installation space required for separately installing the water supply pipe 143 can be saved, thereby reducing the overall size of the ice maker 100 and facilitating its transportation and storage.

[0058] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0059] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. An ice maker, characterized in that, include: case; An inner liner is disposed within the shell, and at least a portion of the structure of the inner liner is spaced apart from the shell to form a heat-insulating cavity; The inner water tank is located inside the inner liner; An external water tank is disposed outside the casing; and The water supply mechanism includes a water supply pipeline assembly and a water pumping assembly. The water supply pipeline assembly includes a water supply pipe disposed in the insulation cavity. The water supply pipe is connected between the outer water tank and the water inlet of the water pumping assembly. The water outlet of the water pumping assembly is connected to the inner water tank.

2. The ice maker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water supply pipeline assembly also includes a first two-way pipe and a second two-way pipe; both the first two-way pipe and the second two-way pipe are disposed on the outer wall of the inner tank, the first two-way pipe is connected to the outer water tank and the water supply pipeline, and the second two-way pipe is connected to the water supply pipeline and the water inlet of the pumping assembly.

3. The ice maker as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first two-way pipe includes a first branch pipe and a second branch pipe that are connected to each other; one end of the first branch pipe is integrally formed and connected to the first side wall of the inner tank, and the other end is connected to the outer water tank; one end of the water supply pipe is connected to the second branch pipe; the second two-way pipe includes a third branch pipe and a fourth branch pipe that are connected to each other; one end of the fourth branch pipe is integrally formed and connected to the second side wall of the inner tank, and the other end is connected to the water inlet of the water pumping assembly; the end of the water supply pipe away from the second branch pipe is connected to the third branch pipe; when the ice maker is in working condition, the first side wall is located at the top of the inner tank, the second side wall is adjacent to the first side wall and the position height of the second side wall is lower than the position height of the first side wall.

4. The ice maker as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes a top cover connected to the housing, and when the ice maker is in operation, the top cover is located on top of the housing; the outer water tank is disposed on the top cover, and the outer water tank is connected to the first two-way pipe through the top cover.

5. The ice maker as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The outer water tank includes a connected tank body and a drainage assembly; the tank body is detachably connected to the top cover, the tank body has a drain outlet, and the drainage assembly is disposed at the drain outlet; the ice maker also includes a top rod disposed on the top cover and a water passage, one end of the water passage being disposed opposite to the drain outlet, and the other end being connected to the first two-way pipe; when the outer water tank is connected to the housing, the top rod abuts against the drainage assembly to open the drain outlet, and water in the outer water tank sequentially passes through the drain outlet, the water passage, and enters the first two-way pipe; when the outer water tank is detached from the housing to separate the top rod from the drainage assembly, the drainage assembly seals the drain outlet to close the drain outlet.

6. The ice maker as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The water pumping assembly includes a water pump and a mounting bracket; the mounting bracket is connected to the inner tank, and the water pump is connected to the mounting bracket; the mounting bracket includes a bracket body, an inlet pipe, and an outlet pipe; both the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe are connected to the bracket body, one end of the inlet pipe is connected to the second two-way pipe, and the other end is connected to the inlet end of the water pump, the outlet pipe passes through the inner tank and extends into the interior of the inner water tank, and one end of the outlet pipe located outside the inner tank is connected to the outlet end of the water pump.

7. The ice maker as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The housing is provided with a clearance opening that communicates with the heat preservation cavity. The ice maker also includes a heat preservation layer disposed in the heat preservation cavity. The bracket body passes through the clearance opening. The mounting bracket also includes a perimeter connected to the outer peripheral wall of the bracket body. The perimeter is located on the side of the housing away from the inner liner and fits against the housing.

8. The ice maker as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The water pump is located on the side of the support body away from the inner liner, and both the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe pass through the support body.

9. The ice maker as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes a first sealing ring and a second sealing ring; the first sealing ring is sleeved on the outside of the water inlet pipe, and the water inlet pipe and the second two-way pipe together clamp the first sealing ring; the second sealing ring is sleeved on the outside of the water outlet pipe, the inner liner is provided with a sealing sleeve, the water outlet pipe passes through the sealing sleeve, and the water outlet pipe and the sealing sleeve together clamp the second sealing ring.

10. The ice maker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ice maker also includes at least one snap-fit ​​component, which is disposed on the outer wall of the inner liner, and the water supply pipe is snap-fitted to the snap-fit ​​component.

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